Jesus Christ, where to begin? The absolute stronghold this band had on me as a 15 year old is pretty gargantuan. I feel like for me (and likely a lot of other people), this is one of those records where you first understand that an album could be more than just a collection of good songs, but an entire piece to view as a whole. The first side of this record is difficult to fault - from the concepts laid down early in its intros to the sonic whiplash of the paranoid alarm clocks and most bananas guitar sounds in Time that send me right round the bend, (even if you find guitar solos ostentatious, this one is so tasty), to that earth shattering vocal solo by Clare Tolly on Great Gig - seamless transition throughout and so polished and so weird. Side 2 I could maybe nitpick at, but honestly that’s all it is. Us and Them maybe crawls a bit towards the end of its runtime. Money is maybe cheesy and on the nose compared to some of their other work, but it’s still so hooky. That punchy time signature and the ringing of the cash registers brings it all home. And the remaining tracks may as well be blended into a single three-part movement that just just brings the whole project to an exciting and electric climax. The mixing and production throughout is hard to deny - this has got to be one of the best sounding records of the 70s, if not all time. Hope everyone that listens to this album does so through good quality headphones. It has surely had its praises sung over the last 50 years (and if I’m being honest, I’m not sure it cracks my top 3 Floyd albums), but listening to this again was just insane and brought a huge smile to my face. Is it overhyped? Maybe. Is it still an absolute hum-dinger of a concept album? No doubt. This was just as much a pleasure listening to it now as it was the first time a decade ago I'm going the whole hog! 5 stars! Fave track: Time

This is an all-timer. I first heard this record when I was about 13 years old and fully thought I was going to make music exactly like this when I grew up. This album appreciates with age; I love it more than I did when I first heard it - second-to-none production in a style that still feels fresh. Gold standard mixing and exact flow between tracks that just also happens to be super fun to listen to and makes you feel like dancing or bobbing your head along at the very least. It’s a perfect summer afternoon. 5 stars - one of the great Australian albums. Fave track is Electricity.

What a treat - so easy to enjoy the punchy and unique stylings and fun instrumentation. Seems completely original and innovative compared to some of the other rock and post-punk outfits of the time. Weird and a total joy. Fave track: Come Back Jonee

Could listen to Jonathan Richman all day. This is an old favourite I was happy to revisit

A really entertaining entry into Springsteen’s canon. Quite darker than Born to Run, which I appreciate, but also shares so much in common, and not sure it ever quite reaching those heights. Still really enjoyed this listen.

Cute little collection of songs - Cathy’s Clown in a banger.

Great samples and beats, funny skits. Solid hip hop classic

Wasn’t blown away by any means, but daggy inoffensive 70s rock is kind of my wheelhouse. My only prior knowledge of Mott The Hoople is that they were kind of like Bowie but without all the genius. That probably hasn’t changed after listening to this album.

Some great instrumentation, but Sting’s vocal style I never seemed to warm towards. Title track is probably the standout for me.

Enjoyed this more than I expected to - not groundbreaking but some fun drumming over a pretty classic 90s guitar sound. Title track is the favourite once again - 3 and a half stars.

The gentler couplet of songs that finish the album won me back a bit, and some brilliant guitar picking, but the aggressive noodling sound isn’t something that ever had a stronghold on me. The flat late-80s production on a couple of the tracks won’t leave me rushing to return to this album. Two and a half. Fave track - My Dream.

Really solid country album, and maybe the best record overall from The Byrds. I think it’s easy to misinterpret (like I first did) some of the more tongue-in-cheek performances as more sincere than they actually are, ie ‘This Christian Life’, but this record has grown on me a lot since my first listen. A lot of fun and great musicianship for an album of mostly covers. 4 and a half stars. Favourite track - You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere

Takes me back to listening to my iPod shuffle on a family road trip to Port McQuarie - lot of good memories for this record. Not a bad rock album overall - some forgettable tracks I suppose but just as at home with with absolute ear worms and epic moments. 3 and a half. Fave track - Starlight (for nostalgia’s sake)

Some really terrific songs here, just a shame they’re all by Van Morrison. Had trouble deciding what to rate this album. The summery, nostalgic songs sprinkled with fanfares are boppy and make for some very enjoyable listening, and there are some classics in the first half of the album that are likely somewhere in my top ever played tracks on Spotify. The other half of the tunes I find kind of tedious and are overshadowed a bit by how much of a knob Van Morrison is. And I never really want to hear the title track ever again. So I’m landing this somewhere between three-and-a-half and four stars if that’s allowed. Favourite track is Caravan.

Always electric, a full listening experience from beginning to end, and never appreciated enough as one of Bowie’s best albums. Great flow from track to track with some of his most powerful vocal performances; this sits just behind ‘Low’ in the Berlin trilogy but still second place in what is my favourite Bowie era. Favourite track is Heroes.

Thought I’d already submitted my review but anyway - still have not managed to be won over by U2 here. Just seems rather uninteresting music compared to everything else coming out around the mid/late 80s. The Americana theme is intriguing but not enough to pull me into those samey syncopated guitar rhythms. Maybe the big hits are overplayed on classic radio or something else but this just didn’t tickle me. Fave track - One Tree Hill

At long last a record by a woman - I can’t say I actually connected all that much with this one. Some alright country sounds but nothing all that special. And some cute lyrical storytelling but a bit too syrupy for me. Two and a half stars for this one - hopefully some more albums to come that break the pattern of men with guitars. Favourite track was Fly By Night.

Some really unique stylings in the indie genre which makes for some really bubbly and fun listening. It is a style that can grow a bit tiresome and sometimes be challenging - I’m not sure if in a good or bad way. Indie music from this period has sometimes aged pretty badly (at least in my head) but I think there’s still some interesting stuff here I like this album overall and think there are a couple bangers for sure. A solid three-and-a-half; I kept tossing back and forth whether to round up or down and gonna just go with this. Shoutout to Stillness is the Move, but favourite track here was No Intention.

This is an all-timer. I first heard this record when I was about 13 years old and fully thought I was going to make music exactly like this when I grew up. This album appreciates with age; I love it more than I did when I first heard it - second-to-none production in a style that still feels fresh. Gold standard mixing and exact flow between tracks that just also happens to be super fun to listen to and makes you feel like dancing or bobbing your head along at the very least. It’s a perfect summer afternoon. 5 stars - one of the great Australian albums. Fave track is Electricity.

Hard not to be engaged and entertained with this collection of tracks - a mixture of classics and moving vocal performances that left me wanting more with the whole record coming in at under half an hour. An easy one to add to the rotation - 4-and-a-half stars. Fave track: Ain’t No Way

First track made me pretty curious and the rest of the album left me pretty interested in this group. Really fascinating and eclectic blend of different sound styles all at play, with some more cool throwbacks to early punky stuff just as at home with spacey lullaby tracks. I'm not sure I was in the right mood to really get into the orchestrated maudlin break-up tracks, but some of the jammier tracks I don't want to write off just yet. Just such a big album to really get into in just 24 hours, so I'm leaving it as a light 4 for now with the intention of some further listening. Fave tracks: Ladies and gentleman we are floating in space/ I Think I'm in Love

Wish that I spoke French so I could understand what sounded like quite dramatic and theatric storytelling in these songs. A really terrific voice that really pulls you into some tracks, and some fun instrumentation as well. Some of the more polka-ish ones I found hard to connect to and overall this record didn't excite me a huge amount. To be fair - I never would have heard this album if it didn't come up here. And apparently Scott Walker did many covers of this musician in English which I enjoy. I'm sure Jacques Brel is a seminal figure in Belgian and French cultural history, 3 stars for me on this listen. Fave track: Le Play Pays

Sacré bleu! Not sure I was missing out on a whole lot when I hadn’t heard electronica/tango fusion. Some beats would start off okay and pull me in but I would be just so put off by that melodica accordion sound, and some other production that almost sounded like it was lifted right out of the Garage Band sound library. Didn’t really gel with this one but can’t win them all. Fave track: Tríptico

His fingus make the stringus singus. I can't really claim to have an extensive knowledge of experimental jazz, but I do know this is one of the big ones. This record really pulls you in and engages you throughout. Full of jarring left-turns and enough little pockets of repeated melodies teased about that the songs seem both familiar and surprising for its duration. A distinctly entertaining listening experience. I'm a sucker for an extensive medley with multiple movements that take up an entire side of a disc so my favourite track for this record was 'Mode D - Trio and Group Dancers/ Mode E - Single Solos and Group Dance / Mode F - Group and Solo Dance'

I felt like this album was really close to the kind of music I like but also really close to the kind of music I don’t like. For 1970 I’m sure it was a bit ahead of its time but didn’t really sound like anything all that special. Fave track: child in time

Honestly, a pretty unremarkable album - I guess they needed some padding when creating the 1,001 albums list. Not the most offensive record I've ever listened to, but just seems fairly unoriginal and bland, especially for a Britpop record in 1999. Just kind of 'been there, done that'; but this sound and style has been done by much more interesting bands. Probably will fade away in my memory somewhere - two stars. Fave track: I Want You

I kinda got into this one more than I thought I would. Considering it seemed pretty out of the blue just like the previous album, listening to this made for a pretty fun tram ride home - banging beats and cool vibes, happy I heard this one. Probably not the most incredible thing I’ll hear from this whole list but pretty groovy. Three and a half stars. Fave track: The Story of Light

Boy that Rami Malek sure can sing! This is actually my first listen through a Queen record (except for greatest hits). For some reason in my mind they were a band who never really had a great album, but I feel like this A Night At The Opera has earned its legacy though - several great tracks and vocal performances that speak for themselves. There’s a lot of fun and silliness throughout as well which I maybe wasn’t anticipating but is entirely charming. And despite being overplayed to death, it’s hard to sniff at Bohemian Rhapsody - hardly a controversial opinion I know but it’s hard to argue with how game changing it was while still remaining a thoroughly entertaining song. Four and a half stars. Fave tracks: Love Of My Life / Bohemian Rhapsody

My first exploration into thrash metal or anything kind of resembling this side of the rock genre. For some reason in my head it never seemed that accessible for a newcomer but I got pretty into this. Some really fun listening and honestly really good songwriting. Left me curious to check out more of the band and style - 4 stars. Fave track: Holy Wars…The Punishment Due

A good album? Sure. Some enjoyable melodic and psychy guitar parts, and interesting blending of genres, but overall maybe not blown away by any particular section or the record as a whole. Decent songwriting and hard to rag on the record too hard but not anything I found to be that exceptional. Fave track: Rolling

I think my mood depended on my listen of this. First listen through I was walking through the park on a sunny afternoon and really vibing with it. Next morning I re-listened in the car with some bad weather in some heavy traffic and found it a bit tedious at times. I was a fan of Mayfield before hearing of this but this particular record was new to me - there’s an undeniable groove you get hooked into, and he has pipes. A pretty to very good album here - Three and a half. Fave track: Jesus

Let out an audible groan when I heard the opening chords of ‘Jump’ and things really only went downhill from there. This to me just seems like the weaker end of 80s rock - corny songwriting and the cheekiness on the album struggled to win me over. I don’t really enjoy Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solos - they just always seem random and without much backbone to them. The couple songs with a solid rhythm section and riffs (Hot For Teacher & Gone Girl Bad) for me are just overshadowed by all the lyrics they happened to put in the songs. Not for me this record - one and a half stars here Fave track (by default): Jump

By comparison to the previous album, this one hits it for six. The opener is (for better or worse) by leaps and bounds the stand out track - energetic and head-banging stupid shit that was always kind-of timeless. I feel like it's almost as if that song always existed, and everyone in the genre ever since has been trying to replicate it. I've heard so many band at the Tote and Retreat front bars that would love to have come up with half the songs on this record. Not every track is a knockout, but I'm not too fussed. As cheesy and shallow (and kinda weird) a lot of the lyricism is on this record, it's much easier to stomach than the other shit that came yesterday (i.e. Panama). There's a lot to like on this record, and I feel forgiving of the usual critical drawbacks of the genre. I had fun and thought this was kind of a cracker in a style I haven't much dived into before. A decent four. Fave track: Ace of Spades

I knew about the tragic backstory to this album but had never heard it before. Wasn't sure how I'd respond to this but through the last half of the album in particular I really enjoyed it. A number of lines and verses really rocked me - simple but moving lyricism. Four and a half. Fave track - Tired Eyes

On the pulse and high temperature - yeah boy! Explosive and dense lyrics from Chuck D in one of the greatest rap performances of all time. Bold social messages through genius diction, pertinent sampling, and a dynamic energy that makes for an entertaining listen. A benchmark for the genre and a through-and-through classic album. Fave track - Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos

I would describe myself as a fan of the Grateful Dead generally. They have some flawless albums, but they also have some duds - for me this one sits somewhere in the middle. Plenty of appealing musicianship throughout and good vocals, but even I have my limits with their jams. Listening to this did prompt me to go back and revisit to some of my other favourite live stuff they recorded. Fave track: St Stephen

Yeah, I dunno. The Monkees never seemed impressing, and for sure this album just seems a bad knock off of their contemporaries; only a few years too late for whatever sound they were trying for. Not all that interested in this one. Fave track: Shades of Gray

A pleasant listen - it did feel like it fizzled out a bit and never lived up to anything extraordinary, but still had a good time playing this in the car. Good vibes. Fave track - Happiness

Thought it was pretty pretty good. Thought I'd maybe be sick of hearing Neil twice in a week; but surprise surprise, I liked it. Spot-on garage guitar met with sound vocal harmonies make me feel happy. Probably not Young's lyrical genius that give me chills on other records (in fact Father John is maybe a skip), but still a damn good listen. I reckon they had more fun recording this one than they did Tonight's The Night, and that brought a smile to my face. I did want to move out to the country a little bit after listening to this. Would be real nice to have a ranch that your friends would come and visit. Maybe you'd play some songs together in the barn. Will be keeping my eye out for this one in the record stores. Fave song was White Line.

Such an impassioned performance from Joplin in a concise and engaging selection of tracks. Was a fun listen and had a lot of soul. A light four for this one. Fave track: Cry Baby

Happy listening to this album again. I don’t mean to be blow it out of proportion as one of the very top-tier 90s records but I kinda love it even for Vapour Trail alone. I really get pulled in by the textured guitars and dreamy vocals. Maybe some stuff in here a bit derivative by some of your bigger 70s and 80s alt bands, and the runtime can be testing, but still a good one in my books. A solid addition to the genre, and a perfect three and a halfer for me. Fave track: Vapour Trail / Today

Another pretty enjoyable record here from Deep Purple. Though it's not exactly my rhythm I can understand the legacy this band and album have earned. Towards the end of the album in particular it was fun to really hear them not take things too seriously and just connect lean into having a good time while playing music. Probably somewhere between and a 3 and a 3.5 Fave track by a country mile was Space Truckin'... I mean come on.

This was a funny one for sure - hard to simplify my thoughts into a couple sentences. To start, it's pretty challenging. I wouldn't say I'm a complete stranger to experimental rock and roll, but that doesn't mean that things can't be surprising or grating. This album kind of has this strange pattern of whacking you over the head with a frying pan, then immediately laying you onto a bed of feathers. I'll be unsettled by one song, then charmed by the next. The instrumentation and production is pretty enjoyable regardless of anything else. Some of the heavy percussive/dirty guitar/melodic bass line combinations are impossible to not enjoy. And some of the slower piano ballads can be fairly moving. The beat poetry's content I sometimes found off-putting (and if I'm taking points off, it's here) but ultimately enjoyed its rhythm and griminess more than I condemned its shortcomings. Maybe this is one of those ones that comes down to when/where/how you listen to it. First casual listen I thought maybe I'd rate this pretty low down - a light three or even less. But the more I listen to it I see it more like an arthouse film, and it's pretty perfectly beated out. This might be crap, but I think it's probably genius. Four and a half. Fave track is Town With No Cheer

There’s such a legacy behind this album - commendable as a debut, and for a record to have so many hit singles packed in there only happens once in a blue moon. Can’t completely agree with this one though. The songwriting does seem corny and despite some skilful playing, that guitar sound I find kind of annoying. Maybe this is another version of all the hits being overplayed that I couldn’t fully be captured by them on this listen. Welcome to the Jungle is kind of a banger, even just for ‘shanananananananana’. Two and a half overall.

Love this album - a great collection of tracks in a style which is probably one I most find myself gravitating towards. A great range of sounds here, and the back and forth between the light jangly bops, the slower ballads, and the loud garage numbers make for a dynamic listen throughout that doesn't get tired or dull. The somewhat spent yet impassioned vocals are also a charm for me. There's a really effective way of depicting some of the joys and struggles of growing up without dipping into cliche - the whole essence of this album just seems like a considered but snarky reflection at rock and roll as it used to be projected in the decades before them (take either the borrowed Beatles album title or the punky spin on a KISS song). This record seems to be both youthful and quite grown up at the same time. Big fan of this one - an indie classic I'm completely here for. Four and a half. Fave track: Androgynous

What a treat - so easy to enjoy the punchy and unique stylings and fun instrumentation. Seems completely original and innovative compared to some of the other rock and post-punk outfits of the time. Weird and a total joy. Fave track: Come Back Jonee

Happy to come across some more records I hadn't really had a deep dive into before - had this on my radar before but never found an opportunity to sit with it and give it a proper listen. Such precision playing and creativity beyond comprehension to construct an hour long improvisation like this. It's easy to get a bit lost in the sound and have it become background noise, and there are those moments of laughter or cheering or groaning that snaps you back into reality and makes you remember this guy is playing live and everything is right off the dome. Overall, I'm not sure it blows me away in the same way some of the other jazz entries have, but still a great listen. Three and a half. Fave track: Part II

Jesus Christ, where to begin? The absolute stronghold this band had on me as a 15 year old is pretty gargantuan. I feel like for me (and likely a lot of other people), this is one of those records where you first understand that an album could be more than just a collection of good songs, but an entire piece to view as a whole. The first side of this record is difficult to fault - from the concepts laid down early in its intros to the sonic whiplash of the paranoid alarm clocks and most bananas guitar sounds in Time that send me right round the bend, (even if you find guitar solos ostentatious, this one is so tasty), to that earth shattering vocal solo by Clare Tolly on Great Gig - seamless transition throughout and so polished and so weird. Side 2 I could maybe nitpick at, but honestly that’s all it is. Us and Them maybe crawls a bit towards the end of its runtime. Money is maybe cheesy and on the nose compared to some of their other work, but it’s still so hooky. That punchy time signature and the ringing of the cash registers brings it all home. And the remaining tracks may as well be blended into a single three-part movement that just just brings the whole project to an exciting and electric climax. The mixing and production throughout is hard to deny - this has got to be one of the best sounding records of the 70s, if not all time. Hope everyone that listens to this album does so through good quality headphones. It has surely had its praises sung over the last 50 years (and if I’m being honest, I’m not sure it cracks my top 3 Floyd albums), but listening to this again was just insane and brought a huge smile to my face. Is it overhyped? Maybe. Is it still an absolute hum-dinger of a concept album? No doubt. This was just as much a pleasure listening to it now as it was the first time a decade ago I'm going the whole hog! 5 stars! Fave track: Time

Enjoyed this more than I expected to - never thought this was a band I would fully gel with. I think partly that’s still true in terms of the cliches that come with proggy stuff, but I couldn’t help but bop and sing along on second listen. Clearly very influential on a lot that came after - pretty fun listen. Three and a half. Fave track: Close to the Edge

Fogerty and CCR certainly forged and cemented their own sound coming out of the late 60s - whether that's to your taste or not probably changes from one person to the next. I do enjoy it though. Fogerty's simple songwriting, raw and soulful vocals, and catchy melodic rock stylings on this record are maybe only bested here by 'Cosmo's Factory', another album I hope they've put on this list. It's maybe on the daggier end of things and a few tracks a bit samey, but it’s still solid. Fave track: Lodi

Wow - really got into this listen. There's a strong identity that's stamped onto the music here and it'd be difficult to find much other pop music that sounds like this. Really enjoy Bush's dynamism in style, evocative dreamy (and often scary) narratives, and flow - particularly on the second half of this record. Four and a half. Fave track: And Dream Of Sheep

I might revisit this one another time when I can pay some more attention. I did enjoy the listen. The instrumentation on here was really interesting and rough - Moore is a pretty phenomenal guitarist and Gordon is her own sort of genius. Sonic Youth were always a band I've been meaning to really get into, but have never engaged with it quite as much as I expect. Maybe overall this album didn't feel as complete as some I've heard in a similar style, and sometimes they maybe seem a little ~too~ angsty. Still benefited from hearing this, and has piqued my curiosity for what I imagine is another handful of albums from this band on this list. Three and a half - Fave track: Starpower

Honestly, a great punk record - fun and punchy, really inviting character and chemistry behind both lead vocalists, and some of that Californian beachy sound cut in underneath some of the tracks was a pleasant addition. Some weird and off the wall lyrics as well which are funny and make for a more interesting listen each spin. Really glad to have come across this one. Fave track: We're Desperate

This felt like a good pop record - one that I imagine was a pivotal moment in Michael’s maturing as an artist. The album starts off pretty strong and maintains that for the first half of the record I’d say. He has a sweetness and attitude in his voice that is pretty easy to eat up, and the openness in both sexual and sentimental fare is a win for sure. I felt it lost a bit of momentum in the second half. And honestly at times I felt like it drew a little too heavily on artists that inspired him (namely Prince), but overall very decent. Not sure how often I’ll be returning to this but still I’ll give it a three and a half. Fave track: One More Try

Pretty stunning album - a cohesive and sonically inventive piece. Both the melodic highs and murky lows come together for a complete listen. Those simple and robotic lyrics really make things fun - enjoyed this listen. Happy to back the unsubstantiated rumour I heard about Kraftwerk headlining Meredith 2023. All aboard the hype-highspeed-continental-railcar Four and a half. Fave track: The Hall of Mirrors

Second George Michael records in 3 days - still lots of the same gravity and charm, but I feel this one follows a bit behind Faith in the overall canon. Despite looking for other standout tracks here, I thought the hit was the only song that really brought things to another level, or was really particularly interesting. The more acoustic approach to a lot of the songs didn't resonate with me as much here as the heat and coherence of the previous album. I will say, one of my favourite album artworks we've had so far. Not a bad album, but as a change in direction as a follow up to the last album I'm not sure it's a step up. Two and a half. Fave Track: Freedom! '90

This was a funny one to gather my thoughts around. Biggie has such a legacy and his skills are clear. Still felt kinda put off by quite a number of tracks and skits, and his reliance on discussing fairly misogynistic content. Great production from Diddy and some staples of classic hip hop, but I couldn’t help but feel a lot of the record was overshadowed by some bars that have not aged well - honestly it’s surprising this aspect would have been well received at the time. Maybe I’m missing something. Two and a half. Fave track: Juicy

One of the strongest bookends of songs we’ve had - super strong opener and closer, and everything else in between just happens to be pretty enjoyable too. Some great production and chemistry here to land some energetic and politically aggressive headbangers. I never knew I was secretly a fan of thrash metal. Fave track: Battery

First proper listen to a Stones record in full. Hate to just jump on a bandwagon of praise, but I did really really like this. Can’t decide whether side A or side B is better honestly - great songwriting throughout and have a sneaky feeling some tracks will continue to grow on me. Four and a half. Fave track: Moonlight Mile

A classic, but I have to admit even as a Pink Floyd fan, I love this one a little less each listen. The scope and personal narrative spread across the album is obviously impressive and I do love a lot of the songs on here. I also can’t help but feel like a little bit of the magic has been lost on me - the theatrics dip into the cornier side and are quite on the nose. And I can’t help feel that despite all these life factors compiling to Waters’ insulated and disconnected state, at the end of the day he’s probably just an asshole. Some great production and at the end of the day still a remarkable album, but not my favourite Floyd by a long shot. Three and a half. Fave track: Mother

Vega can be a really good, if not great songwriter. She has penned some classics with some terrific production. I'm not totally convinced that this collection quite reaches the heights that she's capable of; possibly something within the realm of finding her feet on a debut album. Some of the songwriting and vocals here (which should be the highlight) feel a bit washed out by the kind of bland instrumentation and production. And outside of a couple standout moments, a lot of the tracks seem a bit forgettable. Didn't hate it by any means, but probably won't be returning to it a lot. Maybe a harsh score but probably landing on a two and a half. Fave track: Marlene On The Wall

I tried listening to Rush in high school and felt really opposed to their style and sound. I thought Geddy Lee’s voice was annoying and the proggy syncopation and time signatures were abrasive. I wrote them off as a band I would never really gel with. I’m not sure what changed but this listen I think I finally get it. Of all the ‘best of prog’ we have seemingly been force fed over recent weeks, this one of my favourite listens. There’s terrific production that gives an appropriate amount of spotlight to Peart’s drumming, and great flow from track to track that it somehow doesn’t grow tired. The back to back of XYZ into Limelight especially got its hooks into me. Fully expected to be giving this a 3 star score or less but just can’t help but feel I will be putting this on quite a bit from now on. A strong four. Fave track: Limelight

A good album - maybe expected to connect with it a bit more than I did this listen. Some of the tracks seem to blend a bit and didn't seem to shine above a lot of the other Bristol trip hop stuff I have heard (which to be fair, is not heaps). Still some banging tracks and one I think I'll return to and give another chance on another day. Three and a half. Fave track: Hell Is Round The Corner

Terrific album; have been a fan of this band for years. A cool blend of classic structures and production borrowing from their 70s and 80s influences and fresher, futuristic sounds. There are some all time classics on here - it’s really hard to come past a better back to back than Someone Great and All My Friends. Four and a half. Fave track: Someone Great

Enjoyed this listen - there’s clear talent and chemistry between group members, and a true connection between themselves and the music. Whether reggae is something I’m realistically putting on more than every now and then is another thing. Some bass lines (namely High Tide or Low Tide) do seem so effortlessly genius, and Marley’s voice can linger with you. No major qualms other than it being a style I don’t really have that heaps of a connection to. Three and a half. Fave was High Tide and Low Tide

This voice really annoyed me quite a lot. Some alright songwriting, but the sound of the guitar and the vocals I found pretty off putting. Probably not a bunch of standout tracks either. Didn’t connect with this much.

Solid beats and great production - packed with party bangers, and the more chilled tracks sprinkled in there got me good too. Driving to work on a cold morning probably isn’t the setting for this, but I enjoyed the listen regardless and had a lot of fun. Maybe no track in particular elevating this to a really terrific record, but still a lot to like. Three and a half. Fave track: Alive Alone

The picks for this list from the ‘00s continue to confuse me. I definitely didn’t hate this album. Didn’t love it either. There’s some cool cinematic stylings through the record, that maybe sometimes borders on becoming a parody of itself, especially when it leans into some of Turner’s hammier lyrics. I’m not sure I hate that though. I liked the listen, but it will confuse me if this album is on this list over any number of Arctic Monkeys albums from around the same time; each of which are probably just that bit more polished. Fave track: The Meeting Place

So dense and a total joy from beginning to end. Massive skill on top of precise production and some winners when it comes to the features. Conceptually bold and honest - a classic. Four and a half. Fave track: Nothing Even Matters

With this album a fresh style was forged from the straight up and down New York punk sound of the mid ‘70s. It’s hard to find many examples that better represent how instruments can communicate with each other to create a complete sound. Verlaine’s unique vocal stylings and songwriting paired with clean engineering make for a milestone in rock and roll, and a personal favourite of mine. Fave track: Marquee Moon

The folklore/evermore era of Taylor's catalogue is, to no surprise, handily my favourite. Her more stripped back songwriting allows for her simple short stories to shine. You can hear the influence and collaboration of the Haim sisters all over this album (not just from the track they actually feature on), and that's always a win for me. Missing some of the next level highlights from folklore that I think are some of her best tracks, and I'll be bummed if that album is omitted from this list in favour of evermore, but this is still a fairly solid record. Three and a half. Fave track: ivy

At last an album from the ‘00s that has a bit more sense to be on this list - this record had a fair bit of impact on electronic dance music, and it has aged pretty well. It’s kind of refreshing to hear some really muddy beats mixed with some pop. The first half of the album is beated out pretty precisely, there’s a lot of flavour and range to keep things from getting dull. Somewhere in the second half (I think somewhere between Tthhee Ppaarrttyy and DVNO) things get a little tiresome and the more anthemic EDM ones don’t resonate as well with me. Still a solid blend of engineering and musical originality - 4 stars. Fave track: Genesis

Low effort review here but enjoyed the listen. It’s easy to be won over by Poly Styrene’s energy. Not sure all of the saxophone was needed as heavily as it was. Three and a half. Fave track: Plastic Bag

Snuck a brief listen in - Hendrix was someone I had never fully gravitated to before but had no major complaints from this spin. Soulful, rhythmic, groovy. Not heaps of above the rest standouts but a couple tracks I’ll return to. Three and a half. Fave track: Castles Made of Sand

Quite enjoyed yesterdays, and thought this was even better. Great flow between tracks, some all time classics, and second to none playing. The more mellow and laid back tracks stuck with me more - a great listen to wake up to. A strong four. Fave track: Hey Joe

Banger. This is the best shit. It’s a ten Fave track: Oh Yeah

Discovered this album about a month ago and had been really enjoying it, was wondering in the back of my mind if it would show up on this list. Had never heard of it before and thought that despite not having a huge legacy, there was some really strong pop songwriting. Maybe I need to do some more reading on it, but this definitely feels like a solid and possibly under-sung piece of 80s indie pop. Strong three and a half. Fave track: Faron Young

A couple good tracks washed out by a lot of crap ones. The boring production on this makes it a slog at times, and the key change at the end of Old Before I Die nearly made my brain pop like a balloon. Not great pop here for the most part. Fave track: Let Me Entertain You

Solid hip hop and classic production from Dre. Once again some of the skits grow a bit tiresome but still some great tracks in there. Three and a half. Fave track: The Shiznit

Some great sounds and genius playing - definitely one I can have floating around while I tidy my room or spend an afternoon cooking. Can understand the legacy of this one, though this sits at a strong 3 for me. Fave track: Green Onions

Good grooves, soulful rhythms, I liked this listen. Something holding me back a little from fully launching myself into this but the title track was a certain banger. Fave track: The World is a Ghetto

Not great. Not so heinous that I bomb it with a 1 star rating, but fairly unremarkable album. Is it groovy? Sure. Is it lame as all hell? Kinda. The longer songs that would perhaps be the more interesting tracks turned into a bit of a chore at times. Some good percussion, but overall a snoozer for me. Fave track: Listen

This score may be harsh, but I honest to god tried to go into this with an open mind. I don't want to be that person who immediately writes off this band, but after an attentive and engaged listen I came to the conclusion this album was, for the most part, very meh. A couple tracks stood out, sure - some cool textures and strong lyricism from Martin, but the rest felt forgettable and bland. Two and a half. Face track: High Speed

Was wondering how long until a Steely Dan record would grace this generator. Probably my favourite band and a damn fine album from the group here. A snappy collection of genre-fusing pop that displays some of the best playing and mixing, cynical lyrics, and odes to some of the band's musical (mainly jazz) heroes; through the borrowed bassline on Rikki Don't Lose That Number, tribute to Charlie Parker on Parker's band, or cover of Ellington's East St Louis Toodle-Oo. Solos on these tracks are cool and restrained, and operate as part of the songs rather than ostentatious flourishes. All tracks slap pretty hard and all together come in at just under 35 minutes - the only gripe I'd have here are Fagen's vocals that are a little less polished and slightly wobblier than other records. Four and a half. Fave track: Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Still lots of good here, but maybe felt a little more stretched out and a little less cohesive than his other couple albums we’ve had so far. The runtime probably pushed that envelope a bit, though there are some classics that remain a treat to listen to. Three and a half. Fave track: Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

A corny album, but one that leans into the gimmick and theatricality enough that I still had a decent time with this listen. The edginess is probably a bit too forced at times (namely the final track), and there's not that much complexity to these fairly formulaic rock tracks, but it's pretty consistent from track to track and fairly agreeable for the most part. There's some fun instrumentation that pops up at the end of R*ped and Freezin', and the sincere ballad / rag Mary Ann was a sparkly refresher that reset things after a few samey kind of songs. By no means a great album, there's plenty you could take issue with here. But, still some good old fashioned crummy rock and roll record I could groove with. Fave track: No More Mr. Nice Guy

Solid record - lots of style and some great beats and samples. Fave track: Psycobetabuckdown

Impassioned playing, ambitious songwriting, and an undeniable groove. This one’s a classic. Four and a half. Fave track: Hit It and Quit It

The Smiths can be a mixed bag, but for the most part made decent to great records. This was no outlier - one of their best albums with some unforgettable tracks. Good flow between tracks and solid playing and writing coming together in a short and sweet 36 minutes. Fave track: Paint a Vulgar Picture

A great album here. Structurally and conceptually tight, a honing and advancement on their previous styles, and some classic tracks to boot. I will admit I have a preference for a couple of their later albums, and there are a couple tracks that are not really near the band at the best, though these are mostly compensated for by others that are. A decent to strong four. Fave tracks: Paranoid Android / Let Down

Oh, I get it. It looks like the two trucks are fucking.

Two of the best in the funk genre in short succession - George Clinton fans rejoice! You know exactly what you're getting here - cosmic grooves and fresh hooks that stay in your brain for days after hearing them. Not close to Maggot Brain in terms of accomplishment, but still a lot of fun. Three and a half. Fave track: Give Up The Funk

Some interesting and at times pretty entertaining experimentation here, but overall maybe a little lacklustre for me. If the opening track comes on at a party though it’ll be hard not to go mental. Fave track: Cool in the Pool

Clear mixed feelings here - but I also doubt anyone is really ever going to read this. So yeah, Kanye has damaged his legacy a fair amount by his own doing. He can get fucked. If he dropped a new album tomorrow, I'm not sure I'd listen. This album is also very very good. It is very very good. I listened to this a lot in high school, and I liked it a lot then. And this listen was also really good. So I don't know. I'll give this rating today based on just how I'm feeling about the spin I gave over the weekend, and maybe I'll change my mind later and go back and change it. Let's move on to the next one. Fave track: Through The Wire

Cool stylings and production - wasn't totally sold on it first listen but grew on me quite a bit the second time round. Three and a half. Fave track: Hymn Of The Big Wheel

Didn’t fully win me over this one. A fair bit of the same old stuff that didn’t grab me all that much, except for maybe Free Bird, which is by far the best track here.

A fine listen - some clear charm and can easily whisk you away to some olden velvety bar. But all a little samey by today’s standards. Don’t really understand the crowd who are certain this is the best music of all time, but this was still pleasant. Fave track: Deep In A Dream

Another banger - weird and spacey, dark and fluid. A pleasure to listen to, and a welcome addition to this list. Albums like this seem to be the whole purpose of starting this project. Four and a half. Fave track: Moonshake

This one grew on me quite a bit. Always found this group a little overrated or out of my taste but this honestly was pretty good. Great flow and solid songwriting. Was nearly giving this a four but for now will mark down. Maybe will change my mind on more listens. Three and a half. Fave track: Modern Man

Even while nitpicking it’s hard to find too many faults in this record. Brilliant flow, production, and chemistry. Huge achievement and just shows how these two are just the best of the best. Four and a half. Fave track: B.O.B.

Textured, dynamic, and magnetic. An annoying morning at work made me a little angry so this actually was a perfect soundtrack for my energy. A little overly angsty at times to be taken totally seriously, but Reznor is clearly sits at the top when it comes to sharpening a style and producing a well engineered sonic cacophony. Fave track: Eraser

Bold and commendable songwriting, but maybe not in a style I fully click with. Some fun in there too, but might not be putting this on all the time. Two and a half. Fave track: Kingfish

Heaps to enjoy here - interesting style and strong production. A good one. Three and a half. Fave track: Machine Gun

A triumph of Dylan’s songwriting, exhibiting clever and poignant tracks one after another that continue to grow on me to this day. Fave track: Visions of Johanna

Crushing, and painfully restrained - you can hear the influence this record has had on so many seminal indie albums in the decades since its release. A sometimes aching but beautiful listen. Four and a half. Fave track: Say Yes

Easy to be charmed by Lady Day - a lot of soul and sadness through her singing. The collection of songs all together I’m not sure I found all that compelling, and maybe a bit samey. But still a new and interesting listen for me. Two and a half. Fave track: Violets for Your Furs

Probably one of those ones I can acknowledge and respect the following this record has, but I don’t think it was made for someone like me. There’s obvious brilliance there, but probably not one I’ll be chucking on. Failed to connect a lot this listen. Two and a half. Fave track: Dirty Old Town

Fun and infectious, but I was not really in the mood to listen to this. I can acknowledge that this is something new to me, and that is a big part of doing this whole project, but this feels like another album that I probably could have died without listening to just fine. Two and a half. Fave track: Pacific 202

Honestly, solid songwriting and really good production. Don't really have too many specific complaints overall, but didn't strike me down like a bolt of lightning. Will maybe return to it another time and see if it sticks a bit better. Three and a half. Fave track: End Of The Day

A monument of an album featuring a who's who of jazz musicians. Simply a pleasure and a joy to listen through. Wonderfully dynamic and polished playing, and melodies that stick in your skin. Four and a half. Fave track: Blue in Green

MC5 was never a band I could really get that into - a bit boring for me. And live jam albums can really get a bit tiresome at times. Just not my bag. Fave track: Borderline

An enigmatic and unique band at essentially the top of their game. There's heaps to like here - the album starts off with a bang with fresh and punchy pop songs. Sometimes Coyne's voice isn't all that pretty, and some songs probably aren't as strong as others, but still this is a solid album and easy to put on again. Three and a half. Fave track: A Spoonful Weighs a Ton

Failed to do much to win me over - didn't feel all that compelling and sometimes a bit too sweet for my tastes. There can be times where white guys infusing reggae or ska into their rock band can produce an interesting or good sound, but this just seemed cringey to me. Fave track: Zia

Certainly an improvement on 'Pump', this one I found myself getting into a bit more. Still quite a fair bit of style I don't fully gel with, and there's some fairly cringeworthy lyricism, but there were some good catchy moments in here and I found myself pleasantly surprised by most of the album. A two and a half. Fave track: Sweet Emotion

Lots of style and charm, some fun percussion and textured guitars, and seems like it would have been a fairly fresh sounds for the time of its release. Probably sits somewhere in the middle for me - wasn’t something I connected to heaps but still pretty decent. Fave track: Kiss Off

Kind of a nostalgia listen, which makes up for a lot, considering this is actually kind of a lame punk record. Those crunchy guitars and simple songwriting aren’t much that would bring me back over and over, and it’s funny to compare this to a lot of other groundbreaking alt-rock from the mid 90s. But it’s still so much fun. Can picture my older brother playing some of these songs to a smaller sized me with Oakley sunglasses, spiked hair, and a Hawaiian shirt. Three and a half. Fave track: Come Out and Play

One of the more boring albums we’ve had so far. Again, it’s records like that this start to give me a better image of the person who wrote this list, and how plain their taste in music is. In what world do I have to listen to this before I die? Fine vocals, bland mixing, underwritten lyrics. Not one that landed for me. One and a half. Fave track: Further Away

Some more aggressive energy lyrically and instrumentally than the last album, but still overall not one I think is that red hot. Maybe for codgers who grew up eating up Britpop in all its shapes and forms this would fit your bill as a must-hear, but I'm beginning to realise there's only a couple of acts from the genre I click with. Again, there's some interesting stuff with some time signatures, cohesion between tracks, some grittier moments, and some better sounding guitars and drums, but for me at the end of the day it's an album of fairly forgettable tracks. I hate that my Spotify algorithm with now be hand-feeding me Manic Street Preachers in my daily mixes for the foreseeable future. Two and a half. Fave track: 4st 7lb

I've listened to this album plenty of times before, and it was interesting to return to it this weekend. Simon definitely has some ability in his DNA to on occasion write a pearl of pop song, and other times I find him quite unbearable. This album maybe sits in that gulch between the ambitious but simple sounds of his not too distant past - in the wake of Bridge Over Troubled Water where he hit the nail on the head, and his future records that get a little too twee at times for my taste. There's a great flow on this album, and it offers a wide range of sounds to engage with. Not everything here grabs me as much on repeat; some tracks seem to be missing an edge or freshness, and some songs are at this point just annoying (Me and Julio had to be skipped on this listen). It's a fairly good album, and on another day could rate it higher. Probably some tracks that could benefit from Art Garfunkel's sensibilities, though maybe I'm missing the point by comparing this album to his work in the duo. Plus, it's hard to deny tracks like Run That Body Down, which is the standout for me by a mile. Three and a half.

Once again, Sting’s vocals don’t really click with me, as with most of the Police’s style overall. There were a couple standout tracks that felt grittier and gave some edge to the record, and in the context of the album Every Breath You Take works and flows really well. Great instrumentation and production too, which was expected. Probably not a band I’m going to have on out of my own choice, but didn’t hate this one by any means. Three stars. Fave track: Mother

High octane and full of energy, with some good humour and irreverence to boot. Didn't grab me heaps the first time, but by the second listen definitely thought it could be one that enters my rotation. Three and a half. Fave track: TV Party

Surprised with how many classics appear on this album. Sometimes I'm not sure if disco always wins me over entirely, but there was heaps to enjoy here. The dancier songs stood out far more than the slower tracks, but that's ok. Fave track: Lost in Music

I think this will be kind of forgettable for me. Aside from the kind of gross skits here and there, I didn’t find these tracks to be that compelling. There are some decent beats in moments and some talent behind some bars, but I was a bit put off early on and never won back. Fave track: Bear Witness

Full of 90s attitude and hooky rock and roll sarcasm, there's a lot to fall in love with. Would have been sick to be in high school when this came out. Solid songwriting and a huge legacy too - I'm not sure all of them land for me, maybe there's some that get overplayed on the radio. Three and a half. Fave track: Hand In My Pocket

Yeah look was never going to be knocked down by this. I get why this is on the list way more than a lot of other albums we’ve had recently, but also at the end of the day I don’t think it’s all that amazing. There’s that voice and attitude, but ultimately these tracks were probably done better by the black artists who wrote them. Not sure if people think this is genuinely a great album, or just recognise its legacy as a piece of culture. Happy to leave it as that, I guess. Fave track: Blue Moon

A great album and huge achievement in hip hop. Some of the best beats from the 2000s and Jay at the top of his game. Layered lyricism and verses that unfold more each listen, with some singalong hits throughout as well. Just a banger. Four and a half. Fave track: Never Change

Found this pretty underwhelming - at best it's a not all that great imitation of better 90s bands with more interesting sounds. Not all that compelling or fresh I suppose, maybe just mediocre rather than bad. Fave track: Lever Street

Lots of fun here - easy to be pulled in by Siouxsie’s energy, as well as a great playing and songwriting. Can hear so much influence this band has had on a lot of Melbourne bands in particular. Really solid album, glad to have discovered this one. Fave track: Into The Light

I know a lot of people swear by this album as a genuine 10 out of 10, but it never really clicked all that much with me. Seems a little too self important at times, or maybe I just think that about the people who cover these songs. There’s talent there without a doubt, but nothing here fully knocks me down as much as I expect it to. Fave track: Last Goodbye

Pretty solid rock album. Really good chemistry as usual when it comes to this band, and they deliver another collection of bopping and bluesy songs to chuck on a drive or while studying. Strong three and a half. Fave track: My Doorbell

Fairly average album. Production fine if not a bit dated, and the inclusion of some beats or instruments seemed inorganic. Got into some tracks more than others, and probably won’t put it on again anytime soon. Two and a half. Fave track: Eclipse

Sounds like an original cast recording of a jukebox musical of Scott Walker unreleased B-sides. Thanks to Maeve for helping me write that. Fave track: In Pursuit of Happiness

What I needed to hear this morning - could sink my teeth into this a bit. The crunch on their guitars really melted over me this listen. Had only ever listened to Loveless and had never heard of this album til now, but it's one I'm glad to have discovered. Fave track: Sueisfine

Started off with a bang and had a few decent tracks throughout. Nothing after the first two tracks that really reached the heights they set but still mostly good. Three and a half. Fave track: Zero

Was tossing between a three and a four, but honestly just had a lot of fun listening to this in the car. Melodic, theatrical, well engineered, a bit silly. Never had delved much at all into this band and I can see the appeal - I’m sure there’ll be other records of theirs to show up so I’m sure they’ll also be fairly fun as well. Three and a half. Fave track: Phantom of the Opera

First half of this is just laced with the good stuff; hits that are lame as hell but still hold up. Overplay aside, there are some certified gems here. Second half lets this all down a bit, with kind of boring or forgettable or just kind of shit tracks. The Killers are such an interesting band. I think they have gone through waves of being considered cool, to lame, to cool again. This album is pretty imperfect but I think will only grow in its popularity among music purists as time goes on. It's simple, and it wears its influences of Floyd, Springsteen, and Queen right there for you. I can't explain why my favourite part of the whole album is that stupid goddamn 'I got soul but I'm not a soldier' chant... It's so stupid! But it's also amazing! It makes no sense! But it's got me singing along! A strong three stars. Fave track: All These Things That I've Done

Lots to enjoy here, even if perhaps stretched a bit thin by the end. Monae delivers some great vocal performances, but the runtime by the end for me didn’t quite have it all there for every track. Three and a half. Fave track: Cold War

This one brought me way back to being a little kid again and my brother playing me the music he was into. Though the songwriting, production, and features continued to grow and shine more as the albums went on, this is still a damn solid debut. Slick and quirky, with some delicious verses from Del. Light four for this one. Fave track: 19-2000

Loved this listen - Dusty is a genuine pop and soul superstar and this record plays pretty close to just being a greatest hits collection. In fairness, given that these are almost all covers I guess it's not all that original of an album, and far from her greatest success (Dusty in Memphis). Not too many misses here, will happily put this one on again and again. Three and a half. Fave track: Wishin' and Hopin'

Birdland is forever a classic, and depending on your mood the rest of the album totally holds up. Some of the best jazz playing and inter-instrumental dialogue that you’ll hear between Pastorius and Zawinul. This is already a go to for records to play while milling about the house on the weekend, and will continue to do so. Fave track without a doubt is Birdland

Wouldn’t be sure how I’d respond to this album. Loved it along with the rest of this band’s records when I was in high school, but also feel like their music has shifted outside of where my taste aligns slightly, and their last couple records haven’t really been that good at all. That being said, I do think this album is The National at their best. Evocative and heartfelt songwriting on tracks that to me have aged better than similar records of this era and style. Slightly a nostalgia listen but this for the most part definitely holds up. Strong three and a half. Fave track: Bloodbuzz Ohio

Simply one of the best to ever tickle the ivories and playing in such captivating form. A showcase of pure jazz talent. Fave track: Alice in Wonderland

Good chance this is my favourite Neil Young album. Seamless flow between catchy toe tappers to crushing ballads. In equal parts makes me want to dance around and drive into a river. I have no controversial takes on this one - I think it's a wonder of a record. Glad to listen to it again. Four and a half. Fave track: Ambulance Blues

A classic for this decade and deserves to be remembered as it is. Some great instrumental moments and in particular amazing drumming, and Winehouse’s talent is obvious. For me though, aside from a couple tracks that do some heavy lifting, this is a style I never fully attached to. Fun listen. Fave track: Back To Black

Classic fresh funky dance music perfect for a summer day. Basslines and drums that sound so so good and you can sink deep into. A winner for sure. Fave track: Nothing Can Stop Us

Not sure I was ever a die hard for The Doors. There's a lot of charm and style, but was never certain about the actual music. I think this lands somewhere in the good but not amazing category for me. I enjoyed the listen, quite a bit, but still maybe I'm missing something. Three and a half. Fave track: Riders on the Storm

Walker is such a unique and interesting musical presence - his voice alone is disarming and compelling, and he brings a theatric flair to pop that is hard to find anywhere else. This is a really solid album, though while still relying on covers of contemporaries (including a few by our friend Jacques Brel), his songwriting isn’t allowed as much room to shine as his next couple records that can really strike you down. I hope at least one out of ‘Scott 3’ or ‘Scott 4’ make this list as well, as they deserve the same recognition as this album. Three and a half. Fave track: Jackie

A stunner of a record and improves each time I hear it. Crunchy and punchy guitars, scary and funny lyrics, and a strange dynamism and blend of contrasting noises that nobody does better. Four and a half. Fave track: Gigantic

Great record start to finish. Hill shining again with captivating flow and vocal performances. Fresh beats and fun sampling throughout. Fave track: Zealots

Lots of energy and fun playing, but failed to really grab me in a hugely meaningful way. Was fine, and don't necessarily think it was bad in any way, just didn't quite scratch an itch like a lot of other rock from the late 80s does. Two and a half. Fave track: Time With You

Pretty fun, especially the tracks with Gal Costa. Could imagine this playing over a nice summer evening while enjoying a cool drink with some friends. Not sure anything in particular I think is all time, but still a good listen. Fave track: Clara

This is a banger. A pioneering record in a genre that is probably closest to what I listen to most. Great instrumentation; I'm in love in particular with the textures and melodies of the guitars on this album. R.E.M. can be pretty easy to shit on, but this album holds up so well - probably my favourite of theirs. Four and a half. Fave track: Pilgrimage

A classic among classics - a tight and triumphant collection of songs that left its influence on countless bands to come. Simple and effective songwriting and a perfect feat of engineering. Bolan just nailed it here - just sleazy enough while keeping it fresh and providing some of the most memorable melodies in rock and roll. Fave track: Life's A Gas